I have seen such a massive change in so many of the children I have referred to LYT. Their confidence has grown; they have become more self assured. I don’t know where else they could get that.”
LYT is proud to be a key provider of free after-school and weekend drama provision in the London Borough of Lewisham.
To find out more about our projects, visit our youth theatre pages and our annual programme timetable.
Help your students take part with LYT
We work with school partners to make sure our projects reach those most in need of our services. We are offer:
- Free taster sessions in your school
- Dedicated places on our projects for referrals of young people most in need
- Posters and flyers to give to your students about our activities
To book a free taster session in your school, or to discuss our other activities, please contact our Participation Manager, Amy Lewis on participation@lewishamyouththeatre.com, 020 8690 3428.
“Before LYT my son was not learning well at school, I felt he was at risk of being left behind. It was the reading that he had no confidence in and working towards a show meant he had to read and learn, and he did. It really has empowered him”
Commissioned Projects
We also work with partner schools to deliver special outreach projects. Recent examples include:
- Once Upon A Catford… Resilience project using storytelling with vulnerable Year 5 students at Sandhurst and Holbeach Schools (2015-16)
- Social Skills Outreach Project with Brent Knoll School (2018)
Refer Students to LYT Projects
What We Offer: We provide additional support to children and young people in need who are referred to our projects. Support includes:
- one-to-one meetings with participants and parents/carers/workers to help young people access our activities,
- ongoing individualised support throughout the project
- bursaries for additional theatre trips/opportunities.
Referral Criteria: We accept referrals of children and young people aged 8-24 who are ‘in need’ and could use additional support to engage in our projects.
LYT defines participants ‘in need’ as:
- Coming from families in receipt of means-tested benefits;
- Having a disability, special or mental health need (including a processing/learning difficulty, autism spectrum disorder or high anxiety);
- Coming from disrupted families (including looked-after children, young carers, those known to social services or bereaved young people);
- Facing marginalisation or requiring additional support to take part (including those with English as an additional language; young immigrants, young people who have been or at risk of exclusion)
In order to take part, young people must:
- Want to engage in drama or technical theatre sessions
- Live or learn in Lewisham
- Attend no other after school drama group
- Be able to work in a group without one-to-one support
- Priority is given to those in state/free schools, academies or home schooling
We ask young people to be keen to take part and to commit to the full project. We do not offer drop-in sessions.
How to Refer: If you work with a Lewisham young person who could benefit from LYT’s projects, please complete a Referral Form and return it to Amy Lewis. LYT staff will contact you to discuss the best way to support the young person to access LYT’s projects.
LYT’s Outreach activities are currently supported by the Mayor of London’s Young Londoners’ Fund, BBC Children in Need and the People’s Postcode Community Trust.